Monday Afternoon (10-19-2009)
While driving home from work yesterday I heard a radio commercial exclaiming that the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo would begin selling tickets for two packages of shows beginning Tuesday morning at 8:30 am. The first package included performances by the Jonas Brothers and Tim McGraw; the second package showcased Brad Paisley and Brooks & “Done.”

If you’re not from Houston, let me explain Rodeo Houston: The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo is big….real big…like as big as Texas big. Every March, Houston dedicates three weeks to celebrating all things rodeo (bull riding, horses, chuck wagons, cowboy hats), and a concert featuring mega-stars is incorporated into each rodeo. Tens of thousands attend daily and proceeds go to provide educational scholarships to local kids. Since 1957, over $130 million has been given in scholarships – which is pretty awesome!

Now although I am not personally fan of The Jonas Brothers…I have an 11-year old and 14-year old niece who have drank a lot of the Jonas brand Kool-Aid. So as any good Uncle would do, I decided that it would be a great treat to purchase tickets and surprise them with a chance to see their version of the Beatles LIVE!

To try and outsmart all of the other tween parents I called the Conceriege Service that comes complimentary with my American Express Platinum card – since one of the perks that they market is the ability to acquire performance tickets prior to general release dates.

The young man I spoke with at AMEX was incredibly polite, but explained that the Houston Rodeo does not permit early ticket purchases. He quickly offered to have a colleague purchase my tickets on Tuesday morning at precisely 8:30 am. I was impressed, so I said sure…”but you’ve got to make sure that it’s done right at 8:30 am because the good seats will sell out in minutes!”

I explained that I wanted 4 seats…best seating available…after all, nothing is too good for my niece, right?

He explained that he could not give me a specific price for the seats, but stated that the front row seats were $300 and the next best seating was $75. Knowing that the $300 seats would already have been sold to the sponsors, I agreed, but reiterated the importance of doing this right on time.

He then read some terms and conditions: “you are giving us authority to charge your card…blah, blah, blah….non-refundable…blah, blah, blah…I said “Sure, that’s fine, but again – please make sure someone does this at exactly 8:30 am.”

Tuesday Morning (10-20-2009)
I woke up early with a splitting headache, which I hardly ever get. After enjoying some coffee and a walk with K9Bella, I started thinking about the Rodeo tickets…doubting that a big company like American Express would actually take care of the request right at 8:30 am, as promised.

At around 8:20 am I went into my home office and decided to pull up the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo website – just to check it out. I was also considering whether I should order some tickets “just to be safe.”

While looking around the website, I didn’t see anything about ordering tickets for those two shows, so I kept looking around. I saw a link for Season Ticket Information so I thought I would take a look at what the full lineup was set to be. (Yes, they do offer season tickets for the Houston Rodeo…I told you it was big down here) Interestingly, when I clicked on the link – there was a “Buy Now” link to order Mini Season Ticket packages. So I clicked it just to see if those “best seats” ($300) were still available – and hoping/expecting not….but they were, so I quickly backed out and then I noticed a press release stating that the Mini Season tickets were going to be available for purchase starting at 8:30 am on Tuesday, October 20.

It was 8:26 am.

Then I noticed that there were two (2) Mini Season Ticket packages – one included performances by the Jonas Brothers and Tim McGraw (all other performances still to be announced) and  the second package showcased Brad Paisley and Brooks & “Done” (again with all other performances still to be announced).

It was 8:27 am.

Suddenly, it hit me. Like a ton of bricks. I ran through the house looking for my phone and then back through the house looking for my wallet.

I grabbed my AMEX card and threw it over to find the number to the concierge service on the back…I started dialing…then I had to press “1″ for this…and “2″ for that…meanwhile I am having a panic attack!

A lady answered and asked for my account number, which I mumbled through to quickly tell her that I had an emergency…that I needed to recall the request to purchase tickets I’d made the day before…that was likely occurring as we spoke.

She put me on hold.

After four or five minutes (which felt like an entire season of 24), she returned to the phone to explain that she had run over to her colleague that had my account/request pulled up and was just about to hit submit on my order. She stopped him just in time.

Then I explained that based on the radio commercial I had heard, I was under the assumption that I had ordered 4 tickets to the two (2) specific shows mentioned. I was completely unaware that it was a Mini Season Ticket package which included NINE shows.

The “best seats” for the “package” are priced at $6,000….Six Thousand Dollars…and they were still available….understandably!

I had requested 4 tickets, which would have cost me $24,000….Twenty-Four Thousand Dollars…OMG!!!!! I literally came within 45 seconds of having $24,000 worth of tickets to smell horse shit and listen to the freaking Jonas Brothers!!!

At that moment, I felt the amazing sensation of tremendous relief and embarrassment simultaneously…what I assume a Rodeo Clown must feel like after being chased by a bull and just barely surviving. Therefore, I am the Unofficial Houston Rodeo Clown, sans a red rubber nose.

My soldiers guardian angels put in a full day’s work before most even get out of bed.

1. I do not drink anything with caffeine.
2. I have a weird fear of birds, dentists, grocery stores and dairy products.
3. I am a pescetarian (a vegetarian + fish)
4. I speak three languages (although not fluently)
5. My older sister broke my wrist once.
6. I finished high school a semester early.
7. I worked for Gallup (phone surveys) for 3 days.
8. I have gotten lost diving…more than twice.
9. I collect PEZ dispensers and coins.
10. The only time I ever had school detention was for a poorly planned practical joke.
11. I taught my niece to refer to Reba McEntire as “Aunt Reba” as a child.
12. I’ve traveled to approx. 30 countries across 5 continents.
13. I don’t have a favorite color – I’m partially color blind.
14. I’ve electricuted myself…more than once.
15. Three different people who don’t know one another have each told me that I remind them of Joel McHale from TalkSoup…and I don’t see any resemblance.
16. I am the author of 9 published books.
17. NYC feels like a 2nd home to me.
18. I have jumped off the tallest mountain peak in Europe, using only a zipline.
19. I am obsessed with sharks.
20. I learned how to drink scotch on an airplane (thanks wendy)
21. I started going bald in my early to mid twenties.
22. I can’t tolerate centralized heating.
23. I once had a pet lobster.
24. I think 24 is one of the best TV shows ever created.
25. I hate doing lists about random personal things.